Pensamento Judaico sobre Gênesis 1:17

One might ask: According to this explanation, the moon would influence the planets under it, and these planets would not be influenced by the sun. For since the sun was above the moon, the sun would not influence the planets under the moon. Seemingly, using this logic we can ask, since Nogah was below the moon and above Kochav,²Although according to secular astronomers, Mercury and Venus are located in different positions, Tosfos Yom Tov is following the order of the planets stated in Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 3:1. how could the moon influence Kochav? Why then does the moon speak of two kings using one crown? This is not a valid question, for our Sages of blessed memory did not understand the planets as being positioned in separate spheres one below the other. Instead, in the chapter entitled Ein Dorshin, they taught:³Chagigah 12b. Rav Yehudah states: “There are two heavens, as it is written: “The heaven and the heaven of heavens belong to God, your Lord.” Reish Lakish states: “There are seven: Vilon, Rakia, Shechakim, Zevul, Maon, Machon, and Aravos.⁴These names can be roughly translated as “the Curtain, the Expanse, the Clouds, the Abode, the Dwelling, and the Darkness.” Vilon serves no function….⁵As cited above, p. 22. Rakia, in it the sun, the moon, the stars and the constellations are positioned, as it is written:⁶Bereishis 1:17. “God placed them in the expanse of the heaven.” Thus, Rav Yehudah maintains that there are only two heavens – one for the sublime angels and one below it for the entire host of heaven. Although Reish Lakish maintains that there are more heavens, he agrees that the angels are located in the heaven called Maon, and the entire host of heaven found in the second heaven called Rakia.

Nevertheless, the concept that the one who causes someone to enter another’s domain with permission requires atonement mentioned by the Midrash seems to be self-contradictory.¹²If God created the sun and the moon in a manner that the moon would enter the sun’s domain, why would He require atonement for the moon’s action? In truth, however, this is not so. To explain: When we search for the first place the concept of causation and license are mentioned, it appears to be the verses,¹³Bereishis 1:17-18. “God placed them in the expanse of the heaven to radiate light upon the earth, to rule during the day and during the night, and to make a distinction between light and darkness.” From the verses, it is clearly evident that although the phrase “to rule” is used, “ruling,” i.e. exercising authority, is not an element of the distinction that is made, because making a distinction is mentioned separately in the verse. Instead, the term “to rule” refers to the sovereignty and dominion of these luminaries. A question thus arises: Why does the verse mention ruling “over the day and over the night”?¹⁴Although we originally translated the Hebrew words, limshol bayom u’valaylah as, “to rule during the day and during the night,” this phrase can also be translated as, “to rule over the day and over the night.” Tosfos Yom Tov is basing his question on this second interpretation. The sun and the moon are not ruling over the day or over the night; they rule over the earth and its inhabitants. Therefore, it would have been appropriate to use less words, and say, “to radiate light and rule over the earth.” True, the verse preceding these verses also mentions¹⁵Ibid. 1:16. “to rule the day.” Nevertheless, that verse did not mention radiating light upon the earth. Hence, the two concepts could not be coupled in that verse. In contrast, in this verse, it would have been possible to do so.

Similarly, Ramban in his commentary on the passage under discussion, comments on the verse mentioning the sovereignty of the sun and the moon,⁴²See Ramban’s commentary to Bereishis 1:18. and explains that naming the celestial beings distinguishes and defines the nature of their power. Thus, it is written:⁴³Tehillim 147:4. “He counts the sum of the stars, naming them all,” and “He calls them all by name.”⁴⁴Yeshayahu 40:26. Similarly, in the present context, calling the righteous by the moon’s name reflects their nature. In particular, these two – Yaakov and David – are described as small because of their humility and the difficulties that they underwent. Thus, Yaakov declared,⁴⁵Bereishis 47:9. “The days of the years of my sojourning… were few and aggravating.” Indeed, the narratives concerning Yaakov related in the Torah confirm this statement. In the same vein, David was continually beset by many wearisome troubles, as reflected in the stories concerning him. This theme is also expressed in his psalms. Similarly, both Yaakov and David experienced continuous ascents and descents, and were beset by hardships. This reflects the pattern of the moon, which sometimes shines and sometimes is hidden. By identifying the moon with the righteous, God granted it a significant honor, for according to the tradition we have received, the level of the righteous exceeds that of the angels,⁴⁶See Sanhedrin 93a. and certainly that of the celestial beings and their hosts.⁴⁷For the level of the celestial beings is lower than that of the angels. See Rambam, Hilchos Yesodei HaTorah 3:9. Therefore, by identifying the righteous with the moon – causing them to share the moon’s nature, with the moon resembling them and them it – God granted the moon a significant honor, praiseworthy quality, and exaltation.